Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) accepted a bill to create a "Trust Women/Respect Choice" license plate, even though he is a Catholic who personally opposes abortion.

But McDonnell did propose amending the bill slightly to include language to ensure any money generated from the new plate is not used to "provide abortion services."

"The Governor did not veto the specialty license plate bill requested by Planned Parenthood,'' McDonnell spokeswoman Taylor Thornley said. "His amendment to the legislation simply codifies Planned Parenthood's often-stated position that license plate proceeds will not be used for abortion services."

In Virginia, the governor can amend all bills. Midnight was the deadline for him to amend, sign or veto bills. The General Assembly will vote on his amendments next week.

After the first 1,000 plates, money from fees for the plate will go to Planned Parenthood. Almost 500 plates have already been sold.

Last year, then Gov. Tim Kaine (D) came under fire for signing a bill to create a "Choose Life" license plate, a move that abortion rights activists say runs afoul of his obligations as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Proceeds for that plate go to antiabortion pregnancy centers.

Kaine, also a Catholic who personally opposes abortion, said he considered such license plate messages a matter of free speech and added that the move was "in keeping with the commonwealth's longtime practice of approving specialty plates with all manner of political and social messages."

You're right, of course. More to the point, no one banging the pans for the "Choose life" plate ever suggested that the so-called crisis pregnancy centers that benefit from it couldn't use the money to spread fear and lies.

Politics is the art of the possible, after all. Let's be glad for whatever successes we have.